§ 23. Sir Roger MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the prospects of EC membership for the Visegrad countries.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe Copenhagen European Council in June 1993 agreed that the associated countries of central and eastern Europe that so wished, including the four Visegrad countries, should join the European Union as soon as they were able to assume the obligations of membership by satisfying the economic and political conditions required. We are fully committed to this objective, and reacted positively to the applications of Hungary and Poland in March and April this year.
§ 24. Mr. DevlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of United Kingdom relations with Japan.
§ Mr. GoodladUnited Kingdom relations with Japan are excellent. We are developing close co-operation on international issues, investment, trade, science and technology and many other areas.